1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to fireplace cover and in particular to a temporary fireplace cover.
2. Background Art
When first lighting a fire in a fireplace while the chimney is cold, a down draft often causes smoke and gas to back up into the room in which the fireplaces is located. This may cause costly damage to the interior of the room, force the user to open doors and windows to clear out the smoke, wasting heat and causing a health hazard in cold weather, and otherwise creating odors, eye irritation and miscellaneous side effects.
Additionally, when lighting a fire it is useful to have air directed against the objects being ignited. This causes them to catch fire more quickly and more evenly and helps prevent the fire from going out before it is well lit and a good up draft is started.
Many fireplace closure devices are known in the art. For example, fireplace closure devices are taught in:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Inventor ______________________________________ 4,072,140 Gallagher 1,590,396 Sutton 1,606,112 Sutton 624,984 Scanlan 4,108,145 Klomser 3,789,825 Reiner 3,888,232 LeBrun 4,010,730 Mitchell 4,170,442 Fox ______________________________________
All of the fireplace closure devices taught in these patents may be placed over a fireplace opening to block the opening. However, they are adapted to merely prevent heat loss from a room by way of a fireplace opening. They are cumbersome to install and remove and are not adapted for temporary use while a fire is being lit.
Many screens are known in the art for use while fire is burning. For example:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Inventor ______________________________________ 1,830,364 Knudson 2,294,406 Cser 2,501,278 Hughes 2,616,499 Eckles 4,294,224 Luther ______________________________________
All of these screens permit air to flow into the fireplace opening during lighting and permit development of an up draft. However, none of these screens prevent down draft during lighting because they do not obstruct air flow. Additionally, air which enters the fireplace opening during use of these screens may enter any region of the fireplace opening and is not directed against the objects being lit to facilitate their ignition. Furthermore, none of these screens permit access to the objects being lit while they are in position. Access while lighting a fire is useful because it permits the user to reach into the hearth area and perform the operations necessary to assist in ignition and to prevent the fire from going out before it is completely lit.
Some screens, for example the screen taught in U.S. Pat. No. 1,759,619 issued to Hutchinson, permit access to the hearth region of the fireplace where the objects to be lit are positioned and allow the user to work on the objects being lit. However, Hutchinson does not direct the influx of air into the fireplace against the objects to be lit and does not protect a user against down draft.
By virtue of the examination of the parent of the present application, applicant has become aware of the following additional references, namely U.S. Pat. No. 3,789,825 Reiner, U.S. Pat. No. 3,894,527 Ickes, U.S. Pat. No. 4,508,098 Scheler, U.S. Pat. No. 1,881,333 Steiner, and U.K. Patent Nos. 9,458 378,658 and 15,052. U.K. Patent No. 378,658 is of particular interest for its showing of a temporary fireplace covering with an opening which begins at the base of the hearth but extends in long narrow vertical opening.